


something that’ll never disappear (even when you’re apart)

by iori7se (jutsuzuban)



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, Fluff and Angst, Gaku isn't here at all but please know I love him, Hurt/Comfort, I wrote this in like 3 hours, Inspired by Orpheus and Eurydice (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), M/M, but also not really, for Persephone just imagine VAE/Cybertechno Mistu, happy i7 unit anniversary, implied YamaSou at the end, it's 2am where I am posting this, title from Sakura Message lyrics <3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:42:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24641929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jutsuzuban/pseuds/iori7se
Summary: “What did you think of my song?” Earnest, cute, wide eyes paired with an energetic smile have Iori returning his own smile, his head turning a little to the side as he tucked some of his hair behind his ear.“I think you’re extraordinary, Riku.”
Relationships: Izumi Iori/Nanase Riku, implied Izumi Mitsuki/Kujou Ten
Comments: 14
Kudos: 29





	something that’ll never disappear (even when you’re apart)

Born from the Nine Muses--goddess sisters with far too much time on their hands--was a boy. The other gods questioned if the boy was human, god, or demi, but once he opened his mouth to sing, all doubt would fly out the window. Falling from blossom pink lips was a lovely winding stream of song: the gods’ praises and achievements, the beauty in the earth and sky, the lustrous waves of the sea; the boy, born with a voice of gold and a smile rivaling the sun, may not have been looked at as an equal, but he was revered. 

The boy walked the earth in search of company, for being contained to the heavens bored him and made him wish for the companionship the gods deny him. It wasn’t the gods’ fault at all, the boy knew and said, because there are so many things needed to be done, be it guiding the Sun and moon or watching the humans to make sure they didn’t do anything harmful to the gods or themselves. 

Ah, the humans--how they fascinated the boy. Every day the boy would watch and join the humans in their places called towns, singing for them as he liked to see their wide smiles and clapping hands. Traveling and seeking sanctuary at another town’s hearth, the boy catches sight of a human with dark hair crouching in front of some tall grass and ferns. Curious, the boy approaches the human.

“What are you looking at?” the boy asks, and the human jumps. A hiss comes from the shrubbery, and the boy notes as a cat jumps out of the ferns and runs off. Humming thoughtfully to himself, the boy turns his head to face the human, whom’s face was pinched and visibly annoyed. 

“It’s none of your business.” The human spoke in a clipped tone, which wasn’t a first for the boy. Cold night-sky eyes stared at the boy with annoyance.

“My name is Riku, what’s yours?”

The human frowns at Riku, but the boy merely smiles, and so he sighs. “I am Iori. It’s been unpleasant meeting you.”

“How rude of you to a traveler!” Riku crows, only teasing, but Iori’s cheeks pinken, and that in turn makes Riku’s stomach feel warm.

“My apologies...I was quite interested in that cat, and have been trying to gain its trust, but you drove it away before I could.”

“Ah, I see. I apologize for that then.” Riku’s shoulders slump as he realizes what he’s done, but then his head perks up as he grabs one of Iori’s hands. 

“May you forgive me if I sing you a song?”

* * *

Riku takes Iori away into the woods away from town, and Iori protests as he says he doesn’t trust Riku. The red-haired boy simply shrugs it off, and continues to drag the dark-haired boy into a secluded area. 

“But I must sing you a song of forgiveness,” Riku says, and his voice is so saturated with guilt and his eyes quiver as tears start to form, it hurts to hear and look at him. Iori swallows thickly, and so agrees to listen to Riku’s song.

It’s as if a wholly different person is in front of Iori, for Riku’s song isn’t just a song. It’s more like a prayer, a chant, a hymn for the gods and only for them to hear. Iori would almost believe it if the other would tell them they are actually Lord Apollo in disguise, if it weren’t for the admittedly too naive actions of the other. 

Grace continued to spill from Riku’s lips, and Iori continued to stare--transfixed in the gods-like performance happening in front of him ( _ for him,  _ whispers a snake in his mind). 

All too soon, the song is over, and the flowers and stars Iori was sure the other had summoned disappeared into thin air. Still, it wasn’t like Riku wasn’t beautiful, and Iori found himself looking far too closely into rose-colored eyes. 

“What did you think of my song?” Earnest, cute, wide eyes paired with an energetic smile have Iori returning his own smile, his head turning a little to the side as he tucked some of his hair behind his ear.

“I think you’re extraordinary, Riku.”

* * *

After that, Riku would always come back to that town, Iori waiting at the edge of it so he would be the first person Riku would see (the singer was greatly pleased with this fact). Each time, the two would stalk off to the woods together, and after some time, have started to hold hands as they walked to their secret place. 

Sometimes Riku would persuade Iori to join in singing with him (“Your voice is so beautiful Iori! I can’t help but feel attracted.”), and other times it would be only Riku singing (“I could never compare to the likes of you, Riku.”). However, every time, without fail, Iori would smile that soft smile he did after Riku first sang to him, and every time Riku’s heart would flutter at the sight. 

Likewise, every time Riku smiled that bright smile of his, Iori’s heart would flutter and his cheeks would feel warmer than they were before. It would take some time before the two would come to recognize their feelings for each other, but when that time came, it was as sweet as anyone could imagine.

It happened during a winter afternoon. The air was cold with snow and sharp winds, and Iori--bundled up in thick garments thanks to his mother--stood at the edge of town, waiting for a spot of red against the stark white of the earth. 

There, in the distance, was red, and Iori felt relieved, but soon that relief turned into incredulity and annoyance as Riku came in nothing but his regular tunic with a shawl over his shoulders. 

“You are going to catch a cold,” Iori warns the other, but Riku laughs and Iori feels the cold heat up. 

“When I do, you’ll be there to take care of me, won’t you?” And who is Iori to disagree with that statement?

“I’ll scold you all the while,” is all he says, and Iori takes one of Riku’s warm hands into his own chilly ones. Riku jumps, a yelp escaping him, and Iori laughs as he tugs the other towards the woods. 

As they settle into the snow, Riku turns to face Iori with his entire body. His eyes are narrowed with seriousness as his lips are pinched in concentration, and Iori unconsciously finds himself straightening his posture. 

“What are you doing to me?” Riku asks, and before Iori can voice his confusion, the other goes on. “Every time I’m around you, my chest feels light and my legs go weak. My stomach goes warm as if I had drunk hot soup, and...I get urges to touch you.” Riku’s cheeks are red with embarrassment, and Iori isn’t far behind him. 

“Touch?” Iori says aloud, and Riku stiffly nods, his hands lacing and unlacing thin sun-kissed fingers. 

“Yes, touch. Like, I must hold your hand all the time, I must hug you, I must…” Riku trails off, his head turning away from Iori’s gaze, but his eyes drop down to Iori’s slightly parted mouth, and Iori gets it. His lips form an “o” as his cheeks darken, and he raises a hand to cover them. 

“I...am not opposed to a kiss, if that is what you want.” 

Their lips had met in a gentle meeting of fire and ice, the ice slowly melting under the heat of the flames as the fire was too subdued, slipping under the water the ice left in its wake.

* * *

They had planned a summer wedding.  _ We got together in the snow; let us get married under the sun _ , is what Iori had said. Iori’s mother and grandmother took care of the cake, his father the ceremony, and Riku in charge of fancying up his and Iori’s secret place for the small celebration. 

Riku had seen it in his dreams, the wedding. His vows--his song--to Iori would have swept his husband-to-be and the three guests off their feet. He would have sung a song to Iori about Iori: how kind and gentle he was despite their first interaction, how sweet he was (and tasted), how enchanting Iori’s voice was to Riku. The gods-born boy would have thrown away his faith in the gods if only to see Iori smile.

But it wasn’t fated to be. On their way to the clearing, Iori’s mother had stumbled upon a snake, and Iori had pushed her away as the snake lunged for her. Upon hearing the screams, Riku had ran into the woods to help, but there was nothing no one could do. Riku could not call for Apollo or the Muses or any of the other gods, for it was clear to any and everyone that Iori was dying. Still, Riku cried out and screamed for help. Help didn’t come.

“Iori, Iori please stay with me. Please stay with-!” Riku choked on his voice for the first time ever since his birth, and it was amidst the crying and wailing of a family down one member did Riku not utter a single noise.

For months did Riku not utter a sound, and when he did it would only be the saddest notes, the most regretful melody, and the teariest song of heartache and lost love spilling from his lips. He sang loudly, the earth quaking in sorrow as Riku’s loneliness bled into the dirt. He never again went out at night, for looking up at the night sky would remind him of his Iori’s eyes, and the pain in his chest would multiply tenfold. His immortal caretakers worried for him, but they could not interfere in the dealings of mortal men. However, one god broke the rules as he slipped into Riku’s sanctuary. 

“I know a way you can get your beloved back, but you must swear you tell no one of this.” Poseidon’s golden eyes were serious, even if full of concern, but Riku paid no attention to that as he turned his head to the sea god.

“Please, I swear.”

* * *

It was the winter of Iori’s passing that Riku went through with Poseidon’s plan. 

“Who are you and what business do you have?” Hades’s rhodochrosite eyes burned into Riku’s face, but the boy was not deterred. In front of the god of death, Riku bowed low.

“I am Riku, milord, and I am here to bring back my beloved to the living.”

If possible, Hades’s stuff posture goes stiffer. “You have quite the nerve, mortal. Death is not to be messed with.”

“Please milord, I beg you.” Riku gets down on a knee as he lowers his head more. “I can sing a song that will please you.”

“A song for a life? Do you take me for a fool?” The god frowns, and Riku feels a brief flash of terror before another voice speaks up.

“Aren’t you being too harsh on him?” The voice is cheerful, full of emotion and life compared to Hades’s monotonous voice, but Riku dares not to raise his head to look.

“Chin up, boy,” the voice says, and Riku obliges because the words carry the strength of a god, and a god it is. Persephone stands before him, and Riku’s breath hitches at how close they are to him. Persephone laughs, brushing back their peach-colored braid from their shoulder. 

“He’s cute, isn’t he? Offering you a song.” They glide over to the seat next to Hades and sit. “Let us hear your song, and should we be pleased with it, we’ll let you take your beloved back.”

Riku’s throat tightens, and for the second time in his life he’s nervous. “Thank you.”

And from his lips he recounts his tale of love. Gently, softly, Riku cries, but his voice does not waver, and he does not choke. If it’s not Iori, who else can make him feel so strongly about something?

In the end, Persephone cries, and Hades seems to be sad, if the slight downward tilt of his chin meant anything. They both agree to let Riku take Iori back, but on one condition.

“Do not turn back around as you walk back.” At Riku’s tense shoulders, Hades rolls his eyes. “I am a god of my word, or do you doubt me?” Riku assures the god he didn’t mean to offend him. “Good. Should you turn around, your beloved will stay here with me, and another song won’t be able to save you.”

Persephone tells him to have a safe trip, and with that, Riku starts to walk out of the Underworld with hope and determination in his heart. 

Except he starts getting anxious, an uneasy feeling pricking his chest. Straining his ears, he cannot hear breathing, and he does not hear footsteps. He assures himself that it is because spirits are like the wind, that he shouldn’t be able to hear them, but the doubt lingers. He wants to turn around and grab Iori’s hand, see if he’s really there, but every time he’s about to turn his head, he slaps his hand over his eyes. No, he can’t afford to look back. 

Believing in the hope that Iori is behind him, Riku talks. He tells Iori about his family and how they are dealing with his death, how his mother can’t look at the woods without crying. He tells his beloved how lonely he’s been without Iori at his side, and how looking at the night sky would remind him of the dark-eyed boy. He starts swinging his right hand, like he would when he’d hold hands with Iori, and every time his hand swung back he swore he felt a cold chill.

Nearing the top of the tunnel Riku used to get into the Underworld, he’s hit with an onslaught of thoughts.  _ Hades could have lied. The gods are fickle! Never to be trusted! Turn around, you’re almost at the exit. Surely it won’t count, right? _

_ But he’s almost out, and he can’t afford to turn around with a ‘maybe,’  _ Riku thinks, so he marches on. As a precaution, he cups his hands on either side of his face to prevent him from looking back. As the exit gets closer and closer, and the thoughts in his head louder and louder, Riku has the urge to jerk his head back to catch a glimpse of Iori.

Instead, Riku’s back gets a rough push, and his hands shoot outwards as he falls out into sunlight. The cave and tunnel into the Underworld are gone, rocks and heavy, thick vines now covering the entrance. There’s no one behind him when Riku turns his head.

Breathing starting to come short, Riku’s arms shake as his throat trembles.  _ Hades lied Hades lied Hades lied- _

“Are you just going to stay down there all day, or will you take my hand?” Riku’s head jerks up as his eyes drink in the sight in front of him. It’s Iori--his Iori--in the white tunic he wore when he died on their wedding day. Oddly enough, there were small blue flowers weaving through Iori’s hair ( _ forget me nots,  _ a voice like Persephone’s whispers), but Riku didn’t care as he jumped up and crashed into Iori’s chest. Cool-warm arms wrapped around him, and for the millionth time Riku cries (but it’s the first out of happiness).

* * *

“Oh, I’m so  _ happy  _ they got their happy ending!” A little blonde boy with blue eyes shouts, small hands moving to wipe at the tears on his cheeks. A smaller, blue-haired boy next to the first boy nods, the lower half of his face pressed up against a plush of a pudding mascot.

“It got too sad in the middle,” he says, the blond boy agreeing with him, and a white-haired man smiles down kindly at the boys as he closed the book in his lap.

“It did, didn’t it. But the ending was worth it, right?” The blue-haired boy shrugged, and held out his hands to be lifted. Humming softly, the man lifts up the boy into his arms. 

“It was. I liked it a lot. What about you, Yama-san?”

“Ah, I’ve read that story already,” a green-haired man in spectacles says, ”but I gotta say it’s still pretty good.” He picks up the other boy, who imitated the other boy by holding out his hands to be lifted. “Now, you two gotta get in bed and sleep.”

“Already?” “But I don’t want to!”

**Author's Note:**

> I love Greek mythology~~~ Might make a real AU where the 12 idols are each of the 12 Olympians idk (PJO fan...).
> 
> Please tell me if you enjoyed it or not!! Thank you <3


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